Epilogue - Yes
Crew
June
“Are you going to tell me what the plan is, now?” Carly asks from my en suite bathroom.
We had a movie marathon—Carly convinced me to watch all of Aliens with her—that led to her falling asleep halfway through the third movie. I didn’t mind at all, especially because we already made plans to spend all of today together before the graduation ceremonies tomorrow, and the surprise I have planned is tonight.
“Nope. You’re just going to have to wait.” Besides, she loves a good surprise and I know for certain she will love this. Mainly because she’s been begging me to do this for a few weeks.
“How much longer?” Her voice is muffled now, likely because she’s brushing her teeth.
Before I can answer, the doorbell rings. A frown appears on my face. That’s not a part of my plans.
“Who’s that?” Carly pops her head out, toothbrush still sticking out of her mouth. “I didn’t know you invited someone.”
“I didn’t,” I mutter.
The doorbell rings again, and I think back to whether or not I ordered any packages that are supposed to be arriving today.
“You should answer it.” I hear a spitting noise from the bathroom. “Otherwise, they won’t stop pushing the button.”
I trudge towards the door, just as the doorbell rings a third time, and I clench my fist at the sound. If my landlord allowed it, I would change the sound to be something I won’t get tired of so easily, or just get rid of the doorbell in general.
Yeah, that sounds better already.
My hand turns the doorknob, and the person in front of me takes me by surprise.
“Dad?”
Sure enough, he stands in front of the entryway in a plain orange t-shirt and khaki shorts. It’s not even the fact that my dad is wearing shorts that takes me by surprise—because he never does—it’s seeing him in general and part of me is slightly elated because I didn’t think I was going to see him again.
“Crew, can we talk?” Dad’s hands are in his pockets, rocking back and forth on the heels of his sneakers.
I nod before closing the door behind me, coming face to face with my father—but not before looking both ways to see if Mother is hiding in a bush or behind my neighbor’s vacuum.
She’s not.
“Crew,” my father begins. “I wanted to tell you this in person…”
Is he going to apologize again? He already did back at dinner, and I don’t think he needs to again—
“I’m leaving your mother.”
What the heck? Okay, I was expecting a lot of things, but not this.
“Huh?” I stare at my father slack-jawed, trying to comprehend the words that just left his mouth. “What did you just say?”
This is like the plot twist in Carly’s short film that she finally showed me last week. I wasn't expecting a divorce. Sure, my mother was messy, but she loved my father deeply. At least, that’s what I always thought. Maybe my views of love are askew when it comes to those two.
“I can’t tolerate her actions anymore,” my father states. “She wasn’t just controlling in your career, Crew. It was multiple aspects of both of our lives, and it wasn’t until dinner with you that I had the courage to leave.”
“Dad…”
He nods. “I want to start over with everything, Crew. All my relationships, and especially ours. That is, if you’re okay with it.”
Here I stand, with my father, who just dropped a bomb on me. That’s not even what gets to me. It’s the fact that I didn’t lose my father, after all this time. We may be moving in different directions in our lives, but he’s choosing to join me.
